Of a Sweeter Kind
by goodbye wonderland
Summary: -"So," Kuki asked quietly. "Do you miss me yet?"- Welcome to the aftermath of gambling your heart. - - - Wally/Kuki & Abby/Hoagie. -HIATUS-
1. Bets Are On

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby  
_-

-

PART ONE

-

-

**Bets are On** – "_Shouldn't _she_ have a say in this_?"

Hoagie stayed on the sidelines as the two chased after the soccer ball in some weird two-person version of the official game. It never occurred to him six years ago that being friends with both of them would end up being this utterly difficult. He let out an exasperated sigh as Wallabee began yelling at Ace somewhere down the hometown soccer field after he lost his footing. According to the Aussie, the pilot had tripped him.

"Fine, I did what of it?" He heard Ace reply, as he pulled his goggles over his eyes and lay down in the sun. It was in the middle of July, the afternoon, and a lovely 82 degrees. He felt sleepy.

"That's cheating, moron!" Wally yelled, increasing the decibel of his voice to a higher volume then Hoagie thought possible. He had a habit of denying that he could mess up or lose _anything._

"I didn't do it on purpose… you weren't paying attention anyway, Blondie," Hoagie's fellow pilot muttered back, his voice as cool and suave as usual. Nothing ever seemed to get to him, well, expect for Kuki and her love of following Wally around. The boy wasn't used to being ignored by the female gender, not that it was like the petite Japanese girl didn't pay attention to him. She simply had other interests of conquest.

Wallabee hissed something under his breath before glaring heatedly at him, "Shut up, fly-boy! It's not like I need to take this game seriously at all anyhow!"

Ace looked amused for a moment, pausing to smirk at the flustered blond boy, the soccer ball trapped from movement under his sneakered foot. He was always so confident. He wondered if he'd be so confident if he actually had something of _value _to lose. With that thought, the grin on his face grew to the point that Wally wondered if it would split his face. "Beetles, I know how to make this game interesting…"

"And how is that?" Wally answered, sarcasm rolling off each vowel-emphasized syllable.

Ace smiled. "We'll play three rounds, and however has the most points at the end of the three wins,"

Wally opened his mouth to complain but, Ace cut him off, "And the winner of the match does get a bit of a prize-"

"-And that would _be_?"

"I was getting to that," The pilot rolled his eyes. "The prize will be flirtation rights to Kuki for a whole week with no interfering from jealous on-lookers like you."

Wallabee simply blinked, while Hoagie sat up from his grassy and green bed nearby. There was no way that Numbuh Four would agree to that. Numbuh Three had barely forgiven him for the last stunt he pulled, and Kuki wasn't one to hold a grudge - especially against Wallabee.

"And the loser?" Numbuh Four asked, while Numbuh Two prayed to the gods that their Japanese friend would be in a good mood when they made it back to the tree-house.

"The loser must act like Kuki doesn't exist for that whole week; Hoagie will be the observer," He gestured with his thumb towards the friend they shared. "So are you man enough, or do I have to call you chicken for the entirety of our Junior and Senior year?"

Wally swallowed.

Hoagie slapped a hand to his forehead. He knew exactly where this was going.

"_I'm_ _in_."

Moron.

* * *

**A/N:** After, uh, a mishap with the other thing I'm writing that was completely unintentional on my part, and full of sheer stupidity. I decided I'd take a try at writing something kind of fluffy. This chapter isn't fluffy really at all but, I hope someone at least will attempt to read it and give a good review.

The whole idea is a bit cliche, and overused but, who doesn't use those cliche plots now-and-again.

I know it's short. I write better in short little chapters instead of bulk.

Oh, and I'm still writing _Forever in a Kiss_, I'm just taking a little break. I actually completely spaced on all of my over-break homework and wrote this up while trying to write an essay for English - 10th grade English.

: 3

- Lullaby

* * *

**Entire Fanfiction Theme:**

Hot N Cold _by_ Katy Perry  
One Week _by _Barenaked Ladies

* * *

Wally, Hoagie, Ace, Kuki and the rest of them © Tom (Mr.) Warburton


	2. His Prize

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby  
_-

-

PART TWO

-

-

**His Prize** – _"The Polar Icecaps would melt because of all the hot air in your head,"_

Hoagie blinked into the rays of the nearing sunset as his newly slim stomach let out a loud growl that almost doubled the teenage boy over. It had to be near five o'clock which meant that Kuki and Abby would already be in the kitchen making supper.

'_Isn't Saturday burger night?_'

His thoughts of 2 pounds of beef smothered with everything everyone _could _and _wouldn't_ put on a sandwich came to a halt when a loud cry of triumph erupted from down the grassy field. His light-blue eyes widened as he realized that Wally had actually _won_. Pressure usually sent him on a tailspin to failure but, the seriousness of the situation – or at least for those two – seemed to have saved him from defeat, and one of his own temper-tantrums of humiliation.

"Hah!" Wallabee's ever-loud voice shouted as he broke out into his version of the classic Victory Dance. "11 to 9, I _WIN_!"

Ace glared darkly at him from behind his square sunglasses, "You have to be kidding me. You had to have been keeping score wrong!"

"Its one-point to a goal, dude, I got eleven and you got nine," Wally smirked happily. "I. Win."

The pilot scowled at him as he stood up, brushing blades of grass and dirt from his new pair of dark-wash denim jeans. Pushing his glasses up into his hairline, he turned to face the victor who was clad in a simple orange t-shirt and baggy distressed jeans that somehow managed to cling to his hips. "When in the hell did you learn to count _beyond_ three?"

The smack that came after the simple question was enough to make Hoagie who had been doing nothing but, murmur to his stomach, jump. Ace plucked his now twisted-and-broken sunglasses from his nose, as he fingered his cheek which now had the lovely design of the ball they had been kicking imprinted on it. A long string of garbled Spanish mixed with a few choice words in English left his lips, leaving his oh-so-suave persona in the dust.

Numbuh Four merely shrugged as he plucked his soccer ball from the ground, tucking it under his arm. He grinned. "It slipped."

* * *

"Dinner is ready!" Kuki Sanban chirped, spinning on her heel in the middle of the living room after her dramatic entrance from the tree-house kitchen. It only took a second for her to notice that only one of the three teenage boys of her sector occupied the room.

"Numbuh One?"

The bald British boy looked up from the reports he was shuffling through. He peered at her from over his sunglasses, an eyebrow raised. "Yes, Numbuh Three?"

"Where is Numbuh Four, and Numbuh Two?"

Nigel sighed as he returned the files to their folder, placing them on the coffee table they had added to the furniture of the living room. It was a useful addition. "Late again," He answered simply.

"They promised they'd be back before!" She muttered, lips curling downwards into a frown. Saturday was one of their team-bonding days. It was simply just a day a night that the five of them could eat together, and watch a movie. She didn't like when they were late for it.

"I wouldn't worry, girl," Abby called from the doorway of what was the junction between the kitchen, living room, and meeting place. "Your boy probably just found somebody else to be pissed at," She joked gently, pressing a hand to the girl's nearly bare shoulder in a comforting gesture as she moved to stand beside her.

Kuki played with the hem of her long green shirt, her fingers pulling at the silk-like cloth, "_My _boy?" For some reason, those words made her tummy feel fluffy.

Numbuh Five grinned, "You know what boy Abby's talkin' 'bout,"

Even Nigel, who usually neglected these types of affairs, felt his lips twitch in a smile. Kuki's naivety and all around cuteness was something everyone fell victim to once-and-a-while. Gently teasing her about Numbuh Four's bluntly obvious soft spot for her was a 'friend favorite' lately.

Numbuh Three opened her mouth to retort but, shut it quickly when a knock sounded at the front door of the clubhouse. Literally leaping over the larger couch, she darted through to the meeting room, not at all paying attention to Nigel and Abby who exchanged knowing glances. Flipping herself over the railing and on to the deck, she thrust open the large door with much more force then intended. The boys standing outside blinked.

"You're here!" She squealed grabbing both of them by the front of their t-shirts, and wrenching them inside the building.

"Hi?" Numbuh Two murmured, wondering if his prayers from earlier had worked. The Japanese girl smiled happily at him before turning to Wally. Her hand slid away from the fabric of Hoagie's white shirt but, but her long fingers remind curled into the orange cloth of Wallabee's.

Startling him, and making the soccer ball he had been clutching fall way, she pulled him down until he was doubled over, his face hovering over hers. "I'm glad you're back," She cooed up at him. He mumbled something under his breath, a heavy (and rather adorable, in Kuki's opinion) blush covering his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

"Let's go eat!" Numbuh Three exclaimed after a minute, releasing his shirt. The teenage boy straightened his spine, mumbling something to himself as he brushed his hand across the heated skin of his face. _'Cruddy girl, always making me do that…'_

"Yeah, I'm starving, what are we having?" Hoagie murmured, his stomach growling like a frog croaking to emphasize the question.

Kuki giggled, while Wally rolled his eyes. "Cheesy, meaty macaroni bake,"

"What about the burgers?" He nearly whimpered out the question.

"I wanted to experiment, and Numbuh One said it was fine,"

"Experiment with chemicals, not my food!"

"Hey, you know I'm not allowed in the chemistry lab at school anymore!" Kuki exclaimed, forcing a bit of a serious tone. "Sides," She continued on, a hint of mischief playing in her high-voice, and in her grin. "A girl's gotta have some fun."

She winked up at Wally, lavender eyes twinkling.

He blinked back, eyebrows moving towards his hairline.

She just grinned again before leaping down into the meeting place once again, boys following suit. They probably hadn't taken more then a few steps when the loud jingle of pop music filled the air between them. The Japanese princess stopped her walking, pausing between the taller two of her three best male friends. She fished a cell phone of pink-plastic from the back pocket of tight, black denim cutoffs. If the weather was a bit chillier, it would have been capris or full-fledged jeans."It's Ace,"

"You-are-_so_-screwed," Hoagie mouthed over Kuki's head towards Wally who mouthed something back that looked very similar to the word vacuum.

"Yeah, our date…" They heard her murmur to the phone.

"But, you promised!"

"Wallabee?" The blond boy in question swallowed, wondering if this would be a good time to swallow his_ very_ large pride and bolt like a mad-man to the kitchen. "What does he have to do- - -? "

"- - - Fine, I'll ask him,"

"Whatever,"

"Yeah, Okay, bye-bye," She flipped the phone close with that. She slid it back into her pocket, slim eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her bright and ever-so innocent, deep blue eyes flickered up to meet a pair of nearly panicked emerald ones.

"Numbuh Four, what does Ace mean that I should ask you why he had to cancel?"

_Ah, Crud._

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sorry this is ungodly late. High school is a bitch.

Anyway, I'm thinking about making a one-shot collection for all the plot bunnies that get stuck in my head for these two, and the other couples that bless the fanon and canon parts of the fandom. I mean, those stupid things hopping around my head are half the reason I can never finish anything, so maybe an outlet that's nearly plot less would be good for me.

Well, see you in PART 3.

- Lullaby.

* * *

All Characters © Tom (Mr.) Warburton  
Plot (if you can find one) © Kameko-Lullaby


	3. Poker Face

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby  
_-

-

PART THREE

-

-

**Poker Face** - _"…You're blushing again, Wally. It's kind of cute."_

It had never occurred to Wallabee Beetles that miracles could happen in real life none-of-the-less to him but, that was the only reasonable explanation he could come up to explain as to why Kuki hadn't tried to strangle him or tried to turn his gray matter into slush by shaking the crap out of him. He remembered stuttering something out about aliens and a mugging. Kuki just stared at him before bursting out into laughter, her pretty violet eyes crinkling with delighted humor.

"_You're such a silly, Numbuh Four,_"

He felt his lips twitch into a fond smile, letting the warmth of her smile flood his limbs. He rolled over in his quilts so, he was facing the ceiling. Darkness covered it from his view. It never really bothered how empty his room until that moment. He had never been much of a sociable person but, now he was aching for human contact and the stillness that surrounded him in his boxing ring was suddenly quite suffocating.

* * *

Kuki Sanban was curled on the floor of living room, her back pressed against the edge of the couch that faced the large television directly. Her night attire hadn't changed much since she was ten but, had adjusted itself to fit the ideals and frame of a fifteen year-old girl. The baggy sleeves had faded into thin tank-top like straps, and the slippers had disappeared. The cotton fabric of the nightdress clung a little around her small hips but, flowed away from her prettily at her knees. Soft, not overdone, and entirely feminine; it was how Kuki like everything she wore.

"It's too bad Numbuh Four didn't want to watch the movie," She murmured, unconsciously squeezing the tattered orange Rainbow Monkey she clutched in her lap. Only Abby and Nigel knew what she had lovingly dubbed the stuffed animal. Hoagie didn't care too much to know and Wally, well, she wasn't about to tell him about his namesake. He'd probably end up highly offended, and threaten to tear Wallikins' poor head off.

"Well, you had made a _date_ for tonight," Numbuh Two said, choosing to be the one to reply.

The Japanese girl stuck out her tongue at the pilot who had his hand buried in a bag of crisps, "I told you that I made it 'cause I'd forgotten what today was already!"

"You forget everything, girl," Abby said, speaking over the sound of the previews, and the beat of the music throbbing in her ears. She really couldn't go anywhere without her music.

"I do not," Kuki argued, pouting a little as she pulled the comforter she had dragged from her room over the exposed part of her legs. They were always teasing lately about her memory. Hoagie and Abby kept calling her senile. She didn't even really know what that meant but, it still sounded offensive.

"Do too," The retort hadn't come from the darker-skinned girl, Numbuh Two or from Nigel, who was now smiling lightly to himself, focusing his gaze on the television screen which was flickering with the trailer to some cheesy new romance flick. She didn't even have to guess to know who it was. Who else _but_ Wally had a very thick Australian accented voice that loved and adored?

Numbuh Three grinned happily, "Do not,"

"Do too," He returned, now actually in the living room.

"Do not," She standing now, standing on the tips of her well-painted toes, her face hovering in his. She realized he wasn't blushing. It seemed that when they were arguing playfully like this, he forgot to turn to a shade of red like the color of a cooked lobster.

"Do too!"  
"Do not!"  
"Do too!  
"Do not!"  
"Do too!  
"Do too!"  
"Do not - - - ?"

Kuki grinned as Wally gave a defeated sigh, before rolling his eyes, mumbling out a distinctive "crud".

"I win!" She giggled before grabbing him by the wrist and forcing to sit down on the cushion she had been leaning against. The blush he had been missing before finally found its way into his cheeks as the petite girl stumbled and ended up in his lap. Her forehead rested against his chest as she laughed, shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Sorry, Four," She chirped, sliding out of arms. A bit of a heated flush rested on her own face but, Wally took it as a result of her laughing to hard.

"Y-yeah," Was all he could manage to stutter out as she smiled warmly at him before settling once again to her pile of quilts. He wondered briefly if things would be easier for him if she wasn't so cute, and hadn't the love of throwing her arms around his neck.

"So," Numbuh One began, choosing to save the blond of the awkwardness of the moment, "What brought out the desire to mingle with the commoners?" If he had been someone else, he would have made a joke about the bluntly obvious flirting that was still being smothered under piles of denial.

Numbuh Four laughed a bit stiffly, "Don't know, just felt like it I guess,"

"Aw, he wuvs us," Hoagie joked from the other side of the ancient couch. He grinned teasingly at his blond best friend between crunches of potato chips. Wally scowled at him, gently of course.

From her place between the two boys, Abby grinned as she changed songs on her I-pod. "Nah," She remarked, gesturing to Kuki. Numbuh Three had made herself cozy between Wallabee's feet on the floor. One graceful arm was curled under his knee, clutching the connecting limb to her small, shapely form. Her cheek rested against her fingers that curled around the ligament and bulking muscle, while her own half-bare legs brushed against his other. It was a lot of nearly intimate contact that the blond teenager honestly didn't seem to mind. "He_ just_ loves _her_,"

Wally could only blush and thank whoever that Kuki was too entranced in whatever movie was flickering on the screen to pay much attention to the three of them.

"I don't!" He hissed. It was an angry half-whisper.

Abby only gave him a '_don't-even-try__-denying-it'_ look.

"I don't!"

She just shook her head, while Hoagie laughed, and Nigel grinned, failing miserably to hide it.

Wally fumed.

_And yet_ - -

Even though it could have silenced them and proved his declaration.

He never moved his leg.

* * *

The movie ended some two hours later with the entirety of the living room, expect for a pretty girl named Kuki, wide awake, but tired. Numbuh Three had fallen asleep forty-five minutes in. Another fifteen later and her other arm had moved to snuggle Wally's limb. He believed the pins-and-needles feeling had to do something with a lack of blood flow.

Now, how to go about standing?

-

In the doorway to the hall that led to their bedrooms, Abby observed the boy with a grin, while Numbuh Two trailed slowly behind, a sleepy look on his face. Numbuh Five turned to him. "So, you gonna tell Abby what's going on there?"

He blinked, "Uh, Wally loves Kuki?"

Numbuh Five rolled her eyes under her the visor of her cap, "Five knows that, but she's noticed somethin' a little new,"

"Huh?"

"He's lettin' the girl touch' em without pushin' her off in three seconds,"

Numbuh Two made a gesture with his fingers that told her to continue.

"And that Ace boy canceled on her, and you know as well as Abby does that no guy as _ever_ broken a date with Three," It was true. "So," She continued, "I know you know what's going on. Four hangs with you more than the rest of us lately,"

He swallowed. The pilot guessed that that woman's intuition thing was more spot on then he had reasonably thought to consider, "I-I don't know what you're taking about,"

Maybe it was the way he stuttered. Maybe it was the way his gaze flickered to the ground. Maybe it was both, but Abby had figured something out as soon as he opened his mouth.

She smiled.

"You suck at lying, baby,"

* * *

**A/N:** PART THREE is now finally completed. I totally love the way this story is coming together in my head. Oh, and I thought to throw in some, slight, _very_ slight 2/5 at the end there. It's more of a read between the lines thingy.

See you in PART FOUR.

- Lullaby.

* * *

Codename: Kids Next Door (c) Tom Warburton


	4. Feel That Fire

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby  
_-

-

PART FOUR

-

-

**Feel That Fire **- "_Please, please pay attention to the pretty Asian girl! Thank you!"_

It was Thursday.

It was a normal, boring Thursday. It would have quiet too if it wasn't for Kuki screaming in the background about some missing Rainbow Monkey Doll. An orange Rainbow Monkey.

"Gremlins took it, Abby! Gremlins!" the Japanese exclaimed, tossing around the rest of the stuff animals that cluttered her room in order to find the precious one. She was nearing the point of hysteria when the darker-skinned girl put a hand on her green-clothed shoulder, her other one massaging the bridge of her nose – a habit picked up from Nigel.

"Which is missing, girl? You got a million of' em," Abby asked, ignoring the absurdity of Kuki's claims.

Kuki turned to her then, pretty violet-eyes flooding with tears, cheeks red from frustration. "Wallikins is gone!" she sobbed, throwing her arms around Abby's neck, crying dramatically into the hollow of her throat.

_Oh, lord._

"Uh, girl, I'm sure he's around," she murmured patting the raven-haired girl awkwardly on the top of her head. She let her whine for a few moments before gently removing her fingers from around her. "No more of that now, your hugs are better for Numbuh Four,"

Something seemed to click within Kuki relatively innocent mind, "Numbuh Four…?"

Abby nodded a subtle hint of confusion on her usually collected features from Numbuh Three's abrupt change in attitude. "Yup,"

It only took a second for something to come together.

"He took – no, _stole -_ Wallikins!"

Abby slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

If she was ever going to go crazy it would be Kuki's fault. No, wait, scratch that; it would be Kuki_ and_ Wally's fault.

* * *

"What in the world is wrong with her _now_?"

The boys of Sector V where huddled in the main room area of the tree-house, eyes fixated on the hallway leading to the bedrooms. They had been playing video games – rather Wally and Hoagie where, Nigel simply read – when a rather loud cry had gathered their attention. It was completely obvious who it was.

"Cruddy sheila prob-"

"Numbuh _FOUURRRRRRRRR!_"

Hoagie turned to him then after the rest of his best friends' sentence was silenced to his tongue, a grin etching itself on his face, "We should have figured."

Numbuh One was looking at Wally now too, a bit of bemusement pooling into his features, "What did you do to Numbuh Three?"

"I didn't do anything!" the blond boy argued, fingers twisting tighter around the controller. She was always doing that. Always blaming him for everything, every little thing that went wrong.

_It really _- - -

Green eyes closed shut, forcing the thought back, before reopening at the sight of a fuming Kuki in the hallway, looking at him with absolute disgust dripping off of her usually beautiful features. Abby was close behind her, visor pulled down over brown eyes, shaking her head.

_- - - Why is it always me?_

Kuki lunged for him.

Hoagie let out a yelp before scrambling out of the way, the word "DUCK!" falling out of mouth as he fell to the floor, getting on to his feet next to Abby. Nigel merely leaned out of the way out of the rampaging Japanese vixen's path, narrowly missing a sneaker to the face as she smashed into Wally's stomach.

His breath left him in a rush as 93 pounds of Kuki slammed hard into his solar plexus point, the blow sending him over the arm of couch and onto the floor, and the petite girl on top of him. Straddling his stomach, she didn't even give him a chance to recover before she had him by the collar.

"Where _is_ he, Wally?!" she hissed, pink-polished lips pulling into a vicious scowl. If he wasn't so annoyed himself, he probably would have found the flames dancing in her eyes threatening.

"Where is _what_?!"

"_My_ Rainbow Monkey!" she screeched into his face, shaking him violently like she expected her missing toy to suddenly tumble from the cloth of his pants and t-shirt. You don't touch Kuki's stuffed animals without her permission. It was the one rule for dealing with Numbuh Three, and she constantly accused Wally of smashing straight through it.

He made an annoyed sound at the back throat that sounded quite-like a growl which, Numbuh Three returned, her face now so close to his that every exhale of her breath was hot against his skin. "You think _I _took your cruddy doll?"

"I know you did!"

"You're bloody insane!" he suddenly retorted, making Kuki blink and lose her hold for a second, "_Why _would I take somethin' I _hate_?!"

Her violet eyes were now narrowed into slits, annoyance and anger bubbling hot in her chest, heating her words on her tongue, "Because you're _jealous!_" It came out in a long rush of air with a violent shake at the end that made Wally grimace.

The Australian didn't know if he should laugh at her or get her to explain what in the _hell _she meant by that. He didn't need to waste his breath because she continued right on, "Because you couldn't spread love and joy if your life _depended_ on it!"

His emerald gaze suddenly became guarded as he stared at her through his shaggy bangs, something touching them before, swiftly, it was forced back. She stared back, violet orbs losing their glimmer and desire to fight. It was obvious she had said the wrong thing and suddenly - - she knew it.

"I..."

Her slender fingers left the cloth of his shirt to flutter uselessly in the air. She was suddenly unaware of where to put them, and very aware of the four sets of eyes that looked at her.

"…didn't mean…"

Her eyes began to hurt as the pressure of newly sought tears started to rise. Her hands curled into tiny fists and found refuge against her cheek-bones. Her bottom lip quivered as she struggled to keep herself from crying.

Wally pulled himself upward with his elbows, adjusting his weight onto his tailbone as he glanced down at the girl. From his change of position, she was now sitting in his lap, her thighs brushing either side of hips.

_One,  
Two,  
Three_ - - -

"…IT!"

The dam had shattered, crumbled and was now fully obliterated. Kuki was crying rivers, rubbing at her eyes in a fruitless attempt to hide her tears from the boy she was sitting so close too. The said boy had covered his own face with one of his large hands, rubbing at his forehead. Tears were just one of those things he was not good with. He didn't like it when girls cried, especially_ this_ girl.

But that was all she seemed to do around him. That and be mad.

"Like I said, you're crazy," he sighed.

Kuki just buried her head into his chest, blubbering something through her tears that sounded like "I still want my Rainbow Monkey." Wally's face heated from the contact.

"Three…uh," comforting others was not one of his strong points.

Someone stifled a laugh.

Wally glared at the people standing over him and Kuki, a '_shut-up-before-I-kill-you_' look passing across his face before being replaced with a desperate '_what-the-hell-do-I-do?_' expression.

Adjusting his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, Nigel turned to Abby who was grinning at the sight of her two teammates, "Maybe we should assist?" he offered.

"Abby thinks you're right. God knows how hopeless he is with this kind of stuff,"

* * *

He had snuck off to the kitchen easier than he originally thought he would. Kuki and Wally's small confrontation had covered up the sound of his cell phone ringing to the point that neither Abby nor Nigel reacted. That was probably a good thing, considering who was on the other line. His darker-skinned friend, with her uncanny intellect, would have sensed something a brew easily.

"What do you want, dude?"

The reply to his question was spoken thickly laced in a Spanish accent, "I was simply calling for an update." Hoagie could almost see him, smirking into the receiver, adjusting his sunglasses, and flirting with girl nearby the phone booth.

The teenager was a womanizer in the making no matter how you said it.

Hoagie blinked, turning his attention to the main room. "Uh," was all that managed to leave his mouth as he watched Abby attempt to 'de-cling' Kuki from Numbuh Four's abdomen.

"I can hear her crying,"

The pilot ran a hand through his shaggy brown-locks. "She does do that a lot, you know," the statement was true enough. The Japanese princess did shed tears over the pettiest of circumstances. It was usually over a stuffed animal or her Australian object of affections' complete ignorance when it came to the workings of the female emotional system.

- - - _Not that he knew much about it either, of course._

"He did it, didn't he?"

Numbuh Two saw no point in lying. "Sort of,"

There was laughter on the other end. "He really _needs _to learn how to treat a woman,"

"He tries. He likes her, _a whole_ _lot_, you know,"

"I know, but he needs to realize that she isn't going to wait forever, and his petty jealousy isn't going to work as a single flare neither will his childish arrogance give him what he wants," Ace said coolly.

Hoagie blinked, pulling the phone away from his ear, giving it an odd look, like it was to blame for the twisted statement of his friend. "Dude, are you-"

The Spanish pilot chuckled on the other line, cutting him off. "Kuki's happiness is my top priority, Hoagie. Understand that."

And with that, the phone went dead.

A dull beeping filling his ears, Hoagie pulled away from his plastic cell. If he ever figured out what the hell just happened it would be a miracle. He shrugged it off, filing the conversation for later.

"Who was that?"

_Darn it._

Abby had come into the kitchen as he was slipping the small piece of technology into the pocket of his cargos'. He opened his mouth to reply, an excuse about his brother and chemicals popping into his head. His mouth closed sharply when her thoughtful brown eyes flickered away from him, and glided up. Her soft features had broken out into a grin.

"Boy, do you see what Abby sees?" her hand had lifted from her side to gestures to the cabinets above. Whatever she had noticed was highly amusing to her.

Hoagie turned quickly on his heels, the buttons on his sky-blue over shirt making a soft clicking noise has they made contact with the counter. His blue-eyes filled with confusion.

The tail of an orange Rainbow Monkey was sticking out between the doors.

He pulled softy on the stuffed animals' appendage so that it toppled out into his hands, bringing a box of Kuki's instant rice with it. He held the tattered toy between his fingers, staring, before he passed it to Numbuh Five.

"I thought she said she left it in her room?"

"The girl did say that," Abby remarked, grinning softly. "But it looks like it was a ploy,"

Hoagie glanced at the love-worn toy in her hands. "Are you saying she knew exactly where it was?"

Numbuh Five smiled. "Yup, the girl needs a reason to get Four's attention now that Ace hasn't been 'round," she stated. Her warm-brown eyes flickered towards his pocket with a knowing glint.

Numbuh Two pondered this. "Where is she now?" he was oblivious to the gears working in Abby's pretty head.

"Dragged Wall an' Nige to her room to find the monkey,"

"Why Numbuh One?" it was a bit odd for her to forcefully take Nigel anywhere. She did though occasional tease him into doing something for her. Her 'cute' spell had a bit of an effect on everyone.

Abby shrugged, throwing her long braid back over her shoulder. "Abby guesses it cuts down on the awkwardness," she pulled herself out a chair from the kitchen table, bringing the Rainbow Monkey with her, and setting it in the center of the table. "And Boss has always had a bit of a soft spot for her love of those toys," she added.

The two teammates exchanged knowing smiles before Five settled herself into the task of dinner, humming along with her i-Pod. Hoagie let his gaze drift from her to the Rainbow Monkey that grinned from the dinner table's center. The thing stared back at him, its black beads for eyes shining with Two's own reflection in their depths.

He shuddered.

A week would be up in a day-and-a-half.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm slower then death, I swear. I hope I didn't make you guys wait to long if anyone is still following this. I've had a lot going on with school the last week-and-a-half.

Oh, and in response to a flame I received, I just have to say that I'm sorry that you can't pick up on the hints in the flow of each chapter. And if you ever try to insult me again, because I really don't mind flames, please attempt it with correct spelling. I just laugh otherwise.

On another notice, I'm really sorry for any OCC-ness. I'm still mastering the art of KND.

-Lullaby :)


	5. Completely Incomplete

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby_  
-

-

PART FIVE

-

-

**Completely Incomplete **– _"…nothing in the world can change my mind,"_

The orange Rainbow Monkey found the way home. Or at least that was what the Japanese member of Sector V kept saying. The tattered toy was sitting on her bed amongst her other toys when she woke up on that Friday morning.

Numbuh Five had said nothing but, smiled gently at the girl when she excitedly told her about the Monkey's amazing return. The story had run on into another of a completely different nature but, the darker-skinned girl continued to half-listen to her younger teammate babble, nodding every-now-and-then.

The petite Kuki had been on a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride the last week. She could be happy and giggly for a few hours then mad and utterly frustrated the rest of the day. If Numbuh Three had been anyone but herself Abby could have blamed the symptoms entirely on PMS. The mood swings weren't doing the whole yo-yo routine though. The change of emotions was a gradually one, indicating a catalyst of outside nature.

The answer to what the said catalyst was, well, that was simple.

_Wallabee Beetles,_ Abby thought with a soft grin.

His new found attention to little Numbuh Three had made her extremely giddy. Simply not pushing her away quickly as usual was indication enough but, the boy was practically giving her a red neon sign with "I'm desperately in love you," flashing with his body language. And Ace's sudden _lack_ of interest was a red-flag starring her in the face.

When the two finally did get together it was most likely be the biggest news in the TND. Everyone and she meant _everyone_ was just waiting for the damn Aussie to finally get some balls and just _tell_ her.

Honestly, it was like watching a _goddamn_ soap opera.

Problem was Kuki was oblivious, like _brick-wall_ oblivious but, then again the frustration said otherwise.

* * *

"Mind if I kill Two?"

The two female teammates turned at the sound of their British leader's accented voice. He looked sleepy still, like he had just rolled out of bed.

"Morning, Numbuh One," the girls chimed together making Kuki grin. Nigel yawned with a muffled reply as he settled himself into a chair across from Numbuh Three who bounced in the seat closest to Abby's right. The Japanese joyfully retold him the story of Wallikins' amazing and 'unexpected' return. He just nodded looking at her over his sunglasses.

"So," Abby began taking a sip from the mug she clutched between her hands, turning to him, "What's that boy got you out of bed for?"

"He's doing something with a drill up in his room – it's quite annoyingly loud," he told her, rubbing at his temples. Honestly, who woke up at six o'clock in the morning on a summer vacation Friday? It just wasn't heard of. Unless there was a mission of course, then it was a whole different story.

Numbuh Five grinned before taking another sip of her drink, "Just like him," a small, nearly unnoticed fond smile passed over her lips after the statement.

Kuki giggled, brushing her dark-hair off her shoulders, "Now we just need Numbuh Four to get up with us!" she made the Rainbow Monkey in her lap do a dance as she spoke.

"I wouldn't bet on it, girl," Abby chuckled, "you known he don't move until almost lunchtime unless the alarm goes -" she stopped herself when a little grin came to grace her lips.

"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear," Nigel murmured his blue-gray gaze now on the doorway. The happy-go-lucky Japanese girl just spoke his codename and he appeared. There were moments when he wondered if the two didn't have some sort of physic connection that they didn't tell the rest of them about. Honestly, it wasn't the first time that he had appeared randomly only a few short moments after Kuki mentioned wanting to see him. It was extremely amusing none-of-less.

The said Numbuh Three was thinking about nothing other then being absolutely, positively, utterly _delighted_ to see Wally even if he looked completely ruffled like he rolled out of bed. She was always happy to see him. He always made her happy and tingly and giddy and a whole lot of other things. It was just him that made him feel like butterflies were playing in her tummy, like she was flying.

_Just him_.

Unless he made fun of her Rainbow Monkeys, then it was a completely different story.

"Good Morning, Numbuh Four!" she called cheerfully.

"Morin'," he grunted, collapsing into the chair next to her. He looked exhausted. The poor boy was never an early morning person. "It's too cruddy early," he muttered to her but, mostly to himself.

Kuki pouted and patted his knee in a comforting gesture. "It's OK! We all had to get up early too!"

"Yeah, well, I don't do early!"

"Nope, you do noon-time or is that really tea-time? I think it is - Oh, maybe you just call it lunchtime," she pressed a finger to her chin, mulling over the correct term for the period of time between ten and twelve.

Wally gave her a foul look. "Who cares?"

"I care silly-willy!" she laughed before – "PANCAKES!" she sat up straighter in her chair, nearly knocking her Rainbow Monkey from her lap.

The entirety of table turned to look strangely at their youngest teammate. Abby raised a brow before choosing to linger into the world of Kuki. She ignored the Aussie, next to the Japanese, who was making the 'freakin' crazy' symbol with his finger. Nigel chose to completely ignore the outburst. "Uh, hun, what do ya mean?"

"I was thinking that Mister grouchy-pants over here," she reached up pat Wally on the head, who shrugged away from her touch, scowling at her, "could use some yummy pancakes to feel better! And the rest of us could too! Except for Two because he's dummyhead," she continued to ramble on, breakfast suddenly turning into what she was going to do for the rest of the day.

Numbuh Five smiled. The girl was a cutie even if she was a little exasperating.

"Actually, Abby thinks you should go get dressed first, girl," she began, collecting Kuki's attention from her mini daydream. "Five and boss have to talk to Numbuh Four here."

A pair of emerald eyes shot to her face, gaze narrowing.

Kuki blinked, "Oh, well, okie-dokie then!" she jumped from her seat before wrapping her slender arms around Wally's neck, burying her face into his blond-hair. The boy looked half-flustered and somewhere between wanting to throw her off of him and enjoying it.

"Hey! Let go!" he spluttered.

She obeyed before giving him an odd look and skipping towards the door. "I hope you're not in too much trouble, Numbuh Four!"

And just like that, she was gone, the door swinging behind her.

- - -

"Jeez," Wally murmured to himself, rubbing awkwardly at his neck. He felt all warm and weird. "Why she's got to do that everytime she sees me I'll never know." He knew quite well what he hoped the reason was but, he'd keep that thought locked, gated, walled and sealed in a select place in his brain until the moment was right. The right moment was probably going to have to be soon.

Someone chuckled and he glanced up.

Nigel was looking highly amused and Abby was grinning wickedly at him, a knowing glint in her eye that made damn her intuition to hell. In his world, he did a darn good job of keeping his feelings (_ew, girlie much?_) at bay and perfectly hidden. Sometimes, he doubted that when it came to Abby. Right now was one of those moments.

"Shuddup," he scowled, hoping the heat in his face would just shove off and die like he kind of wished Ace would. The mere thought of the stupid pretty-boy made his scowl deepen.

"We haven't even begun talking yet, Numbuh Four." Nigel answered smartly; gathering himself into a persona he sought better was for the image he was trying to present. Tough strong leader concerned for his underlings. The second part was more-or-less right but, the first? Pfft.

_Not even in his dreams,_ Wally thought with something close to a laugh.

"Now," Numbuh One began, "Numbuh Five and I have noticed a change in your behavior with our lovely Numbuh Three,"

_What in the cruddy-?_

"…I'm not any different then I was yesterday," his voice was rough. He really, really didn't want to talk about this with them. With anyone. Expect for maybe Kuki herself but-

"No but, your attitude has improved considerably since a mere week ago and -"

"Hey! What was wrong with the way I was 'fore?"

Nigel waved a hand to dismiss his comment. He had nearly forgotten the Aussie's way of taking things the wrong way and getting mad way too fast. "Nothing, Numbuh Four but, we merely wanted to say that we are glad that you have adapted a new tolerance level for her, uh, antics towards you,"

"Ya mean stupid 'Rainbow Mon-DORKEY Tea Party Fun-time'?" It kind of scared him that even got the name of the bloody game right, even going far as saying the name of her demonic toys almost right. It wasn't much of a surprise though, if you considered Kuki had been conning him into playing it since they were like eight.

Abby smiled, "Yup, we thought we'd just tell ya how much happier lil' Three's been,"

She took a sip from her mug, "And Five thinks you seem happier too."

Wally looked away from her to stare at his hands. Was he happier? _A little_, he supposed. Ace hadn't been around to constantly flirt with her in front of him, and try to take her away from the at 'arms reach' place he let her stay at. And having her attention, no matter how many stupid things she made him do, focused nearly solely on him was really - -

_Yeah, let's not go there._

"I don't know what you're taking about." It was stern and simple response.

Abby shook her head, her braid bouncing against her back. "Ya really don't think Abby sees it?"

Something was telling the blond boy to officially bolt from the conversation and make his way to his room and punch the day-lights out of his training robots but, as we know, Wallabee Beetles _does not back down._"See what, ya cruddy sheila?"

Numbuh Five grinned, the glint back. "Where should Abby start? The Kid suddenly doesn't give a damn 'bout lil' Kuki when Abby knows you know that no one has _ever_ broken a date with that girl,"

Like I said before, Wally does not back down or give in. And that was probably going to be the death of him at some point. "Maybe he finally realized Numbuh Three doesn't like him? It's about time too. He was really getting -"

"Abby wasn't done, Four," Numbuh Five suddenly interjected, cutting him off.

Wally scowled at her, green-eyes narrowing behind his shaggy blond bangs.

"Like Five was saying, he goes MIA and you're suddenly, well, nice," she ignored the rude gesture Numbuh Four threw at her before turning to Nigel. "Don't that spell somethin' fishy to you, boss?"

The British boy shrugged, looking Wallabee's way over his dark shades, "It's a possibility, Five but, don't forget that Wally has always had a large soft-spot for Numbuh Three."

The Aussie blushed, fingers clenching into thick fists. "I don't like Kuki!"

"Nobody said you did," Nigel sighed with a smile.

_You're a dumbass, Wallabee._

Wally made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat, cheeks still hued pink. He let his gaze wander anywhere but, his two fellow teenagers in front of him.

"But," Nigel spoke sensing Numbuh Four's discomfort, "I hope your new tolerance keeps up for awhile. The new calmness is helpful to missions and other top issues." He then excused himself from the table, mentioning checking the mail and getting dressed.

As soon as the bald-boy was safely out of hearing-range, Abby turned to the Australian, taking another sip from her mug to drain it fully of its liquid, "Abby has another message for you, Four."

Wally just looked at her, rolling his eyes, "Really now?"

She nodded, "Yeah, its real simple too, break Numbuh Three's heart and Numbuh Five _gets_ to _kick_ your _ass._"

The darker-skinned girl said it so calmly that it almost unnerved him for a second. But then again he was Wallabee. "Pfft. Yeah, whatever,"

Abby shrugged as she stood, pushing her chair away and dropping her cup into the sink, "It's a warning, boy."

With that, she disappeared past the door, leaving Wally to his lonesome in the kitchen. He stretched out, sliding his 6" foot frame lower in his chair with a sigh.

It wasn't really necessary for her to make threats at him. It's not like he planned to go and break her heart like all those other guys that chased after her would.

And if tomorrow went well for him those guys would never, ever come near _his_ Kuki again.

Sadly, things had a tendency _not_ to go the way he wanted.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, I know I said Saturday but, some things came into play and I just couldn't make it happen. Besides, this is really filler just but, I wanted to show that Abby is checking on quite fast. It has come to my attention that I snuck a 2x5 hint in there and didn't even realize it. That shows you how much I like those two together.

Oh, and if the way I plotted this still stands through, 'Of a Sweeter Kind' only has four chapters left before its complete. Real shame, isn't it? Oh, and I just realized that one I first started writing this story my goal was to get three reviews. Now look at me!

I love you all, and just so you known, not in that way.

-laughs-

Ja ne!

-Lullaby :)

* * *

Codename: Kids Next Door © Tom Warburton


	6. Just Dance

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby  
_-

-

-

PART SIX

-

-

-

**Just Dance** – "_If you were waiting for the opportune moment – that was it._"

Austin Sanchez ran his slender fingers through his auburn-hair. An oddly amused look was plastered on his handsome face as he gazed at the numbers blinking softly in the afternoon light. He had never been fonder of his alarm clock. _Saturday at five in the afternoon_, he smiled. Perfectly white and straight teeth glittered in the warm sunshine.

A week was finally up.

Placing his dark shades over his deep pools of hazel, "Ace" closed the door of his apartment behind him, the lock clicking softly into place.

* * *

_For once in my life, I'm scared to death._

* * *

All but, Nigel hovered over the invitation in excitement. Kuki was bouncing up-and-down, shifting her weight from foot-to-foot, squealing happily as she did so. Abby continued to read the letter over-and-over again while; Hoagie babbled on about food would be at the snack table, the delicacies of before or something even better.

Wally, though somewhat excited himself, appeared almost nervous and edgy at the news. Actually, he had been edgy all day. The earlier parts of the day were spent within the tree-house. Kuki occasionally attempted to leave, claiming she needed something at her house or the mall. Each of her getaways was thwarted by Wally who looked like he was about to have a panic-attack each time she moved near the large front doors.

She'd have something close to a hissy-fit with each of his claims that "she didn't need a cruddy thing that she couldn't find right in her cruddy room." She would stomp her sneakered feet, and fling her arms in the air and whine his civilian name to the point that Nigel would point out about using their codenames only in the tree-house. It was around the second time that he butted in that the Japanese girl called him 'stupid big-butt.' Numbuh One's blue-grey eyes had widened before he gave a snort and turned away while, Abby and Hoagie had snickered softly in the background. The comment had left him highly offended.

Numbuh Three's outbursts never really lasted long, only a few minutes at the worst. They usually ended when Numbuh Four, swallowing a large amount of his pride and with a cute red hue to the bridge of his nose, offered himself up as a plaything. The pretty Asian accepted his offering with a sweet smile and grabbed him by the wrist, tugging him towards her room.

The poor Australian hadn't ever seen so much tea.

"I'm not really seeing way everyone is acting so happy!" Nigel exploded. "Is everyone is forgetting, this event is being held by the Delightful Adolescents from Down the Lane?!" his voice echoed off the walls of the inner parts of the tree-house.

"Can we go, Numbuh One? Pw_eeassee_?" Kuki pleaded, pouting cutely and bouncing on the balls of her feet as fat tears flooded her pretty violet orbs. Her arms waved as she skipped up to Numbuh One, her tiny hands catching his left between their finger-tips.

"Of course, we're going to go! It's being held by the Delightful Adolescents after all!" Nigel replied and repeating himself in the same sentence, yanking his hand free from Numbuh Three's grasp. The overly-excitable vixen appeared not to have heard the last part of his statement. She did a spin back to her place between Four and Two, giggling, fingers pressed to her lips in a fruitless attempt to hold them back.

"But we're not going there to have fun! We're there on a mission!"

Despite his second comment, the girl and the rest of his team remained joyous.

Nigel gave the Japanese girl a glare, a gentle one but, a glare none-of-the-less, before returning to his original discussion. "We have been invited to a formal social gathering in the mansion of the Delightfuls. This will have to be treated as mission. Because of that fact, I wish for us to pair up into teams or otherwise known as dates -"

Wally had snatched Kuki's hand, fingers wrapped loosely around her palm as soon as the words fell from the British, red sweater wearing boy. They appeared to be having trouble not turning a shade of delicate pink while, Abby had leaned against Hoagie's arm claiming him as her date. The pilot could find no problem with it and accepted it with a soft and sweet smile.

Nigel scowled darkly at them before he stalked for the phone. A half-hearted, "I hate you all," was mumbled under his breath as he passed between the couples. They took no offense; he didn't mean and never would.

They snickered as he dialed; it was obvious who he would call.

* * *

_All take your invitation, you take all of me._

* * *

"Out of sheer curiosity, dude," Hoagie asked causally while, he and Wallabee attempted to play cards as they waited for the girls to appear. "When did you become Kuki's slave?" it was an obvious reference to his actions a few hours earlier.

A pair of emerald-green eyes glared at him from under their owner's curtain of blond-hair. Sometimes there were moments when he seriously thought about knocking Numbuh Two out or snapping his goggles back at his face so hard that not even the Jaws of Life would be able to pry him free. "I didn't…" he grunted back, hoping that his 'so-called' best friend caught-on that he did _not_ want to talk.

"It kind of looks like it you -"

"Dude, shut it."

"Oh, and those spaz fits -"

"Hoagie, seriously, shut it."

Hoagie grinned as he took another card from the deck between them. Ah, teasing Wally was fun. It was a past-time. "Sorry, man, but does it have anything to do with…ya _know_," he was subtly hinting to the events of a mere week ago.

Wally glanced towards Nigel who was glaring at the clock. He appeared not to be listening to them at all. "…Maybe."

He took a card from the deck and Hoagie grinned again. "You are _so_ freakin' out and Ace is like, not even _on_ Kuki's radar anymore. It's _all you_, man."

There was something about that sentence that made the Aussie's stomach twist. It was an oddly pleasant feeling. ". . . I don't think-"

Hoagie waved his hand at him, dismissing the comment. "Dude, _please,_" Oh, yeah. Wally was _so_ going to knock him out. "You totally fail in the flirting department but, you have had this thing for Kuki like for-"

"Who said I like Kuki?!"

Denial – Wallabee was still drowning in it even, when he hinted that he had come to terms that he was in love with Numbuh Three. Hoagie sighed, a knowing smile gracing his lips.

Wally flushed a multitude of shades.

It wasn't like Hoagie knew that he had been obsessively keeping Kuki in the tree-house so, she wouldn't run into Ace while, he was planning to do some major confessing and decide to go on a date with Ace because she hadn't seen him in a week and fall for stupid Ace and ditch him like an over-used Rainbow Monkey and thus making him incapable of opening-up to anyone, female, in the intimate way which he was beginning to do with Kuki ever again . . . _right_?

(Consciously, this is all completely denied and chained down.)

_No_ - - -

He couldn't possibly have figured it all out.

"Anyway, other then dancing with her, you got plans?" Hoagie tried to start a conversation with Numbuh Four again after his last comment had started a severe case of the 'Cooked-Lobster-Boy.' It had become his and Abby's codename for tough, stubborn, strong yet, undoubtedly shy Wally's blushing habits towards cute, adorable and petite pretty Kuki.

A small grin had claimed the face of the blond boy. "I do."

"You have a plan? Doesn't that involve like . . . _thinking_?"

The dry look shot his way was priceless, yet entirely scary. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"So what is this plan?" a suggestive eyebrow wiggle was added to the end of the question.

"Can't tell ya,"

"Dude, if you're going to be kissing Kuki, I need to know when to get my camera out. The Moonbase crew will need some pictures!" Hoagie exclaimed, waving a small disposable camera in his best friend's face while he kept his hand of cards in his free fingers.

The cards fell from Wally's own hand in almost comical routine. "W-what?!" the look on his face was something quite hilarious. The boy didn't wear that expression too often and when he did, it was priceless.

The pilot of Sector V grinned again, teasing and playful.

Oh, _right_. In his world only he knew.

"Nothing, man," he chuckled as Wally threw him another heated death-glare before bending to collect his hand from the surrounding table and floor.

It was at this point that Abby arrived to the living room. She was humming quietly to herself to a song that only played out its beat in her head. She rolled her brown-eyes at the sight of Nigel pacing before she let her gaze drift to the boys at the card table. One of them was crawling underneath it while, the other was sniggering quite loudly at his expense.

The spy of the Sector shook her head before approaching the duo, a soft grin etched onto her generous lips. "Looking good, Two."

Numbuh Two jumped at the sudden intrusion of her voice before his head shot around to face her. His bright, blue-eyes briefly flickered over her form before he snapped his gaze back to his cards. A new haze of pink had flooded his face. "You're not so bad yourself," he said with a soft grin.

The darker-skinned female was dressed in a flattering dark-navy suit. It was cut especially for a women and clung gorgeously to her every curve modestly yet, surprisingly subtly sexy way. She had pulled her dark-hair from its usual braid and left it in a wavy low ponytail. Her footwear and redcap stayed the same.

Abby knocked her knuckles playfully against his jaw while Wally made a gagging noise as he stood. Numbuh Five shook her head at the sight of him, ignoring his jibe. It's not like he was one to talk. "Is that really all you're giving Kuki to work with?"

The Aussie blinked before letting his gaze drift down to his white sneakers. He really hadn't done much to spruce up for the event but, it wasn't like he really had before. He was in a white dress-shirt that was partially tucked into the waist of his jeans, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. A tie hung rather loosely around his neck while, the same leather wristcuff was wrapped around his wrist.

Kuki had made the black band for him in one of those weeks she had decided to make clothes for her dolls instead of buying them all. It was decently made and had gradually replaced the sweatband of blue that he had been wearing since eighth grade. At moments he would find himself tracing the crookedly stitched orange four and the nearby buckle, wondering why she hadn't made anything for the rest of the team but, only went out of her way for _him_ - -

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Abby's mouth curled into an almost cheeky smirk, "Nuthin' just you and Kuki are goin' look a little out of place togetha," she hadn't meant the statement as an insult but, she could already see his spine stiffen. It was an automatic defense at an insult or comment on his rather obvious affections for their sweet Japanese comrade. Normally, it only happened in the presence of his competition, competition being the large abundance of suitors Kuki had acquired since fourth grade.

They always knew how to get under his skin – _"Why would she like a guy like you for?" "What would she ever see in you?" "She'd never fall for you, Wallabee!"_ – And raise the self-doubt that he always thought that he hid so well.

And with it came the aggression, his way to hide from his feelings. Wallabee honestly thought he was being subtle and secretive with his affection and his weakness but, Abby, being her, could read him like a book. His heart was on his sleeve, even if it never truly gave up its secrets to the oriental female it belonged to.

She patted his hand, "Calm down, boy. Abby was kiddin' with ya -" he snatched his limb away with a snarl, moving to pick up another card from the floor. Abby rolled her eyes with a sigh. "– it's just that the girl got all dressed up for ya."

* * *

_Like a hard candy with a surprise center._

* * *

Kuki was nervous as she walked down the wooden steps of before entering the hallway. She spent a few hours searching for the perfect gown, something that would standout at the ball. At moments, she almost found herself in tears, her over-dramatic side taking over before the snowy, white waterfall of graceful fabric caught her eye.

The soft satin material fell lightly against each of her soft curves, it nearly melting into her ivory-skin if not for the sliver hue it held. Her blue-black locks, usually straight and hanging to her hips, was curled and fell in messy yet, stylish waves around her. She wore barely any makeup expect for a soft shimmer on her lips and a dab of mascara to define her gorgeous pools of violet even more.

Her pulse quickened and throbbed anxiously in her throat as she came from the darkened hallway, sliver heels clicking on the wood boards. She smiled at the sight of the four them, oblivious to her presence yet, obviously waiting for her. The Japanese girl felt her lips curve fondly at the sight of Nigel pacing, eyes on the clock and of Numbuh Five disciplining the other boys, ever the mother hen.

With a deep breath, she stepped into the florescent lightening of the living room. A gray pair of eyes looked startled when they met her form but, the matching mouth smiled, displaying a bit of white. "Finally, you arrive," Nigel said, his tone was almost teasing.

"Gomen, I got lost in my closet!"

The British boy felt a comment on the tip of his tongue but, swallowed it back after second thoughts. It was better not to judge his Asian friend's sense of logic. Let her have her little world of butterflies and rainbows.

He rolled his eyes before turning his attention to the arguing card-table. "Numbuh Two, I'm assuming you have our transportation ready?"

Hoagie turned to them. "Yeah, but, don't we have to wait -" the question died before it could be fully uttered. "Oh, she's all ready down."

"You look very pretty, girl," Abby piped up after her date had gestured to her.

Kuki giggled as she tossed a few locks of dark-hair over her shoulder, revealing the spaghetti-straps to her dress. "Heh, thank you!" she chirped.

Her large deep blue-eyes flickered up to meet a pair of emerald ones. They were staring at her, eyes darting to her heels before shooting back up to her pretty face. "So, what do think Wally?" she did a dainty twirl, showing off the flowing effect of the dress. It was perfect for dancing; just what she intended to do with the Australian object of her affection.

His mouth was open but, no words were coming out until Abby elbowed him in the side. "Ow! What in the cruddy hell!" he hissed loudly, rubbing at arm.

"I believe he likes the outfit – you've left him speechless." Hoagie said with a grin. Wally snorted, heat flooding his face.

"Now," Numbuh Five said with a laugh, a finger poking Wally in the chin, "Close your mouth 'fore we drown."

He could only scowl.

* * *

_Spin that record, babe._

* * *

The flight was short and after picking up Lizzie (_beached whale, Abby coughed under her breath_) they arrived at the Delightfuls' mansion in a little under ten minutes. The three couples, or teams as Numbuh One liked to put it, entered the mansion at the front door to be greeted the DAFDTL.

It was meant as a simple hospitable gesture but, Nigel, being him, was still highly suspicious of their motives. Finally, after a few moments of Nigel's paranoid babbling, they made it to the ballroom.

"Nigie! Let's go to the deck!" Lizzie asked, looking actually quite fetching in her shimmering blue dress. Before the British accented boy could protest, he was grabbed by the wrist and heaved through the crowd of teenagers by the fiery-haired girl.

Hoagie, after chuckling at "Nigie" nudged Abby in the arm, pointing to the heavenly looking buffet-table. "You, me, finger-sandwiches?" he asked, a sheepish grin stretching across his formerly chubby face.

The darker-skinned spy watched a light-pink shade dust under his goggles. "Is that a date, Gilligan?" she asked, a small smile forming.

"Would it be anything but, Lincoln?" he replied, eyes sparkling.

She shrugged but, laughed before placing a hand to his shoulder, "Let's go, boy. Abby's starved anyhow!"

The two laughed as they made their way through the crowd. Wally watched them go partially disgusted, partially amused and partially amazed. His eyes fell to the raven-haired girl beside him. Kuki's own orbs were focused on the tightly twined couples in the middle of the floor, glittering as watched them sway to the melody of the slow-song that played softly in the background. He lifted his gaze away from her, missing the short longing filled look she gave him.

It was so much more awkward from the time they came here as children.

"You wanna dance?"

"What?!" the answer was startled more then anything, his accent making more of an 'o' sound instead of the regular 'a.'

Kuki rolled her eyes before situating herself in-front of her date, rocking on her heels. "I asked if you wanted to dance with me," she smiled.

His brows furrowed as his hand rose to rub at the back of his neck. "But it's a slo -"

"I know that but, I want to dance with _you_," she murmured, cutting him off. Kuki smiled up at him wondering if he caught the hard emphasis. She was going to make it through to the Aussie tonight. His walls weren't invincible; the petite Japanese girl was going to prove that to him.

She grabbed one of his hands, sliding her slender fingers his more masculine ones. She was pale, soft and creamy while, he was a shade-and-a-half pigment darker, rough and calloused - different in every way yet, absolutely rightness together. It was the same way for their personalities. She completed him, made him softer, gentler.

"Please," she spoke again, voice soft as the beat of the song, "Please, Wallabee?" his full name escaped from her lips before she could press it back against her throat.

"Go-sorry!" she squeaked, swallowing down her mother-tongue. It was a known fact he preferred not to use his full name because of the obvious reference to the wallaby. The endless amounts of midget kangaroo jokes he had to suffer through when he was younger – Wally sighed.

"No worries," he replied before she felt herself being tugged along to the floor. Kuki giggled as she found herself in the middle of the ballroom, Wally staring down at her somewhere between annoyed and amused. "One slow song, you hear me?"

"OK, lunkhead," she murmured to him, her petite hands floating up to wrap around his neck. The Japanese girl received a playful hiss in-response only enticing another giggle from her.

(_I thought that I would be alone,  
You my eye and I was home,  
And I realized that this love._)

"Nee… Wally, you should put your hands on my waist."

"Uh, right,"

She rolled her eyes and let her hands fall to guide him to her hips. "See? Was that so hard?" he huffed something that sounded like "cruddy girls" before he told her put her arms back around his shoulders. "If you insist," she giggled, a slim eyebrow darting for her hairline.

The boy rolled his emerald eyes, a fresh blush beginning on his cheeks.

(_I see the world through different eyes,  
I look you by my side,  
No matter where, you're always there._)

Kuki had danced with other boys before, a few school-dances here and there but, they never had made her feel like this. This boy had been her friend for years and he never failed to make himself standout against her suitors. Something about the way he touched her, like she was fragile, delicate, almost porcelain, different from the years of their wrestling matches on the couch. Something about the way she could see him wonder why she allowed him to the short contact. It was something about the way he spoke to her, in those moments they weren't fighting - the warmth, and the tenderness he sought to hide.

It said more then an elaborate bouquet of roses ever could.

"Could you twirl me now?"

(_You are my light,__You are my star,__  
You are my sunshine and my dark,  
You are the everything I dreamed about._)

He obliged, and she shifted on the floor, skirt flowing gracefully around her knees before she swayed back against him. Something flickered between the duo in that moment.

It a spark of feeling – a need.

An ache.

It was nothing new.

But it was stronger, urging them, pushing.

The Japanese girl curled fingers into the fabric of his shirt, encircling the soft fibers against her skin. She gazed up into pools of warm emerald, her heart lurching in her chest. Her lips parted and her palms slid up until she was cupping his face between her hands.

"I think – I think I want to cross the line," she murmured to herself, looking at him through thick, dark full lashes.

She felt the grip on her waist tighten, fingers falling away to encircle her small waist, arms locking at the small of her back. _Is this OK with you?_ He had yet, to speak but his eyes gave him voice. With fighting he was impulsive, with speaking to others he was impulsive but, when came to her he was tentative and reclusive yet, somehow open.

_It's Rainbow Monkey-tastic_, she replied mentally and from the way his eyes rolled before she gently ran her thumb along his mouth, he understood.

(_You are the guy who stole my heart,  
I am the girl you're always fighting for,  
We have a love people dream about._)

Wally was well aware that they weren't moving in the slightest anymore and people were beginning to stare. It was the strangest thing, but he really couldn't bring himself to care. His eyes flickered away from Kuki's face (_one of the hardest tasks he had ever achieved_) for the briefest of moments to find his gaze locking on the amused faces of Numbuh Five and Numbuh Two. Hoagie gave him a thumbs-up but, before he could respond a sudden weight against his shoulders made his eyes shoot back to the pretty oriental female in his arms.

There was something about the look in her lilac-hued depths that made the breath catch in his throat. "I want to thank you for spending so much time with me," she uttered, her voice was a breathy as his would be husky at the moment. "It means a lot to me, maybe more then Rainbow Monkeys."

(_Dream with me…  
Make me believe…  
That this is a real life fairytale._)

Absolutely, _freakin_' perfect – for once something was going his way. The one thing in his world that he had never more wanted it too.

"Kuki – I gotta tell you . . . _something_," his thoughts weren't piecing together well. The small voice was telling him to tell her why, why she had been the only thing on his mind for the past week, in thought and gesture.

Her touch was making speech difficult.

.

.

.

Ace, the bet, awkwardness, nervous, his aggressiveness - - -_  
It was all beginning to slip away._

_._

_._

_._

"Hmm-?" the girl murmured, her head titling to the side as it continued to move towards him, a wave of blue-black hair falling off her shoulder. Her lips were parted; her gloss shimmered in the dim lights.

"_Some…thing_," Wally mumbled again, fingers curling into the locks that brushed his hands. His head was beginning to lower; her breath was hot as she exhaled. It nearly made him shiver. "I . . . _made_,"

Her hands were playing with the blond-hair at the nape of his neck. "_Wally_… shut up, please." Kuki murmured pulling away a little, a smile grazing her delicate features for a moment, amused at his babbling.

.

.

.

They were Numbuh Four and Three - - -_  
They were friends, comrades in arms._

_._

_._

_.  
_

And maybe they could be something so much sweeter.

"I can do that," he answered with a brief but, sincere smile of his own passing across mouth as she began to drift up to him again. Gravity, pull, the magnetism, they couldn't help but, come together.

.

.

.

_They were satellites, permanently bound to one-another_ - - -

Only a breadth of a moment was between the point their lips would meet.

- - - _the electrifying attraction of elements broken only by an outside force._

_._

_._

_.  
_

A hand touched Kuki's shoulder, breaking the trance. Startled, she turned quickly on her heels, breaking free from the pleasing but, cage of Wallabee's strong arms. The strands of her hair slipped from between her fingers.

The Australian's stomach twisted with knots and a burn began in his throat as the Asian girl took in the auburn-hair and the frightfully handsome smile that seemed nothing but, disgusting to him.

"Ace?"

* * *

**A/N:** Holy freakin' crud monkeys. I wrote ten different versions of this chapter and nothing seemed right for posting. This version I felt was better, but I'm not satisfied with it in any stretch of the imagination.

Ah, a word of apology to _blue-eyed-blonde12_, I'm sorry I didn't get this up as soon as I hoped I would. Do I suffer the pitchfork or I'm I off the hook?

Geez, I should be shot for not allowing that kiss to happen. I feel so cruel for not letting that happen and also on the account of not updating for a freakin' bloody month. I really must be one of the slowest updaters' on the site. It is just those freakin' plot bunnies, they are driving me nuts. I can't get one down without another one spawning.

Ace, ugh. So cute but, so utterly deliciously devious.

Oh, and Wally next chapter - - - DENIAL. on a freakin' epic scale.

- Lullaby :)

* * *

Codename: Kids Next Door (c) Mr. Warburton.

"Real Life Fairytale" (c) Plumb.

"Hanging by a Moment" and "First Time" (c) Lifehouse.

"Thinking of You" (c) Katy Perry.

"Just Dance" (c) Lady GaGa.


	7. Every Broken Rule

_Of a Sweeter Kind  
by Kameko-Lullaby_  
-

-

-

PART SEVEN

-

-

-

**Every Rule** – "_But the universe is designed to break your heart, right?_"

After a sleeve and a half of Oreos, two mugs of green tea and every consoling thing she could think of to say, Abby finally got Kuki to go to sleep. The sweet and welcomed heaviness of sleep set in quickly after the broken, quaking sobs and short, quick inhales had ceased. She slept soundly, her chest rising and falling steadily, slender legs tangled around her comforter.

Rising off the stuffed animal of a bed, Abby gently brushed a strand of damp onyx-black hair away from the slumbering Japanese girl's face with a soft sigh. Kuki always felt things much deeper then anyone else did. From breakups, fights, insults to the divorce of her parents – everything left a bruise, a scar, an aching reminder on her heart. Maybe that was why she felt so protective of her. The petite Asian with the innocent, big blue eyes had been nothing but, a baby sister to her since day one.

Turning down the volume on the CD player that sat on the bedside table nearby. She picked up the discarded cup and wiped away the dampness it left on the glossy wood. "Goodnight, girl," Abby murmured softly, making her approach to the curtain that served as a door, closing it gently behind her.

"So, how is she?"

The dark-skinned vixen lifted her chocolate brown orbs to meet a pair of sky-blue colored eyes. She gave him a weak smile, the corners of her plump mouth barely curling. "Better, I guess. Abby finally got her to sleep."

Hoagie sighed, moving his goggles into his shaggy, brown hair. "That is an improvement," he shifted his weight to a different foot, adjusting himself on the wall in the hallway he lent against. "She was crying so hard I could hear her through the vent."

Numbuh Five clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Did ya expect her not tah? Ya know how she gets when she's been hurt." She flicked a few strands of her brown hair over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but it was just the way she was crying. It was so…" the American boy trailed off, the correct word for the river of tears and the amount of Kleenex used in the last three hours escaping him.

"Broken?" Abby added for him, straightening the used mug in her grasp.

The pilot nodded sympathetically, brows furrowing. He was probably mulling over the chaotic events of the night, which brought her to her next question.

"Where did Wally go?" she asked, voice flat. Her mouth tightened into a straight line, lips pulled so tightly against her teeth that they were devoid any color.

"Home," Hoagie replied. "You busted his cheek up pretty badly, Abs."

Abigail shrugged, "I did warn 'im." It was true that she had done just that just a day and something hours before they were invited to the ball. She had told him that if he broke Kuki that she was going to give him the same pain tenfold with her fist. It may not have been stated in so many words, Abigail Lincoln wasn't known for her speech, but her point had been clear.

It was quite apparent that he had completely ignored the threat, it passing through his swollen head without a second thought. Maybe she didn't know her Australian comrade as well as she had originally assumed considering that she had never has taken him for the kind to make idiotic bets. Stupid, yes, but could she see him making a bet to win money for _standing_ to be with Kuki for a whole week with no interruptions? Not in a million years. Then again he had always been a bit selfish with what funds he did come across; living without what the rest of them had could do that to a person. But she had never taken him to be cruel, not intentionally anyway.

Abby raised a hand to her forehead, rubbing at it in an attempt to stop her spinning thoughts. Man, she could seriously use a couple aspirin at that moment and a nice cold drink of Cola. In the morning, she may be able to think straighter. Now it was too late, and she was simply too tired.

"Uh, Abs?"

The dark-skinned female blinked her eyes open at him, her fingers falling to her side. She moved to stand in front of him, shoulders rolling to ease the pain aching in her skull. "Yea?"

"I - Geez, Wally did – No, wait – I – " He was struggling for the right words to form whatever he wanted to tell her. Abby felt a smile tugging at her lips, despite her foul mood towards Wallabee. Hoagie could always make her smile. He annoyed the hell out of her with his puns and jokes but, somehow she found his clumsy, geekiness rather endearing. _Cute_, she thought briefly before the thought fell back to mirror her early ponderings on Numbuh Three's highly current complex love-life.

With a soft sigh, she patted him on the cheek. "Hold that thought for 'morrow, baby. Abby's got a headache the size of Nigel's rear-end." She passed by him, making her way to the kitchen.

Hoagie watched her go, blue eyes falling shut with a sigh of his own. "Right," he murmured running a hand through his brown hair. Glancing at her fading figure, he turned on his heels before entering his bedroom. The lock clicked quietly into place. It was the last noise of the night that escaped into the hall expect for the soft melody that continued to play on in the room belonging to a heartbroken Japanese girl.

* * *

_If I were a boy,  
I think I could understand,  
How it feels to love a girl,  
I swear I'd be a better man…_

* * *

"Wallabee, what are doing home? I thought you were staying at the Uno's tonight." It was his mother's voice. She was standing at the top of the stairs in her robe, blonde hair mussed and emerald-green eyes glazed with drowsiness. The sound of him opening the front door must have woken her up.

In a usual occurrence, he would probably have just scaled the side of his home and snuck in through his own window. He didn't feel like extremes tonight. The blonde boy really didn't want to feel at all to be honest at the moment.

"Uh, I felt like heading back…homesick and all," Wally replied, a hand moving up to press against the tender and bruising area around his eye. He grimaced when it flickered to life with a sharp spark of pain. He pulled off his tie with his other set of fingers, ignoring the questioning gaze of his mother.

"Alright, sweetheart, don't stay up too late," she yawned. Wally waved her away, a muffled "Whateva" passing through his lips. Mrs. Beetles rolled her eyes kindheartedly before making her way back to her bedroom.

The blonde teen waited until her soft, lazy sounding footsteps disappeared under the noise of a shutting door before he stumbled off to the bathroom.

In the fluorescent shimmer of the light bulbs above, the damage to his face looked even harsher. The spot right directly below and surrounding his left eye was shade of red that rivaled the red sweater of his leader. By morning it would be a disgusting and painful looking shade of purple that would be a reminder of his stupidity. Stupidity was what Abby liked to refer to it as, he, on the other hand, liked to think of him as the one wronged.

Ace had lied right to Kuki's face and the cruddy girl couldn't even see it. Before this cruddy week even happened, hadn't he spent time with her out of his own free will? He may have claimed it was just to make her shut up and stop crying and mostly it _was_ but, part of him genuinely liked to spend time with the happy-go-lucky girl. His massive pride may have stopped him from actually showing what he really felt but, it was still the truth.

_She believed Ace over me_, he thought miserably leaning against his sink. He let his eyes drop down to his wrist. His gaze settled over the black band, fingers already moving to trace the stitching. _Always Ace_, he muttered internally. It wasn't like he had actually given her anything to make her believe him anyway. As soon as the bold lie had fallen from the ugly mouth of the pilot, his brain seemed to shut down. His walls built up again, lock and key shutting off the world.

Wally had simply resigned himself to shutting his mouth and believing that Kuki knew him well enough not to believe a word of what Ace was saying. He was beginning to learn that his tongue was constantly digging his grave, slowly but, surely. But in true Wallabee Beetles' fashion, he had bitten it at the wrong time.

The pretty smile on his Kuki's face had cracked in half, happy blush fading.

"_Wally? You did – tell me that's not true!" Tears were already sparkling like crystal in her lilac eyes that were always spilling over to much for his liking. His tongue was lead, heavy and unmoving. "Wally, please… he is lying, right? Tell me!"_

_But why did I have to?_ He thought as a slow, hot burn began in his belly. _You should have already known._

She was always calling him her 'bestest friend' and dragging him into the multi-colored depths of her room but, if she couldn't get the basic fact that he didn't hurt his friends intentionally, _especially her_, then maybe they were not as close as the oriental girl liked to think.

As Wally liked to think.

He dragged a hand through his blonde hair, scowling into the mirror as images from the "almost" kiss floated on the edges of his brain.

His face throbbed along with a new ache in his chest.

* * *

_I can't be held responsible,  
This is all so new to me,  
Just when I think I'm invincible,  
You come and happen to me…_

* * *

"_Oh, it was just a simple bet to see if he could survive a week of alone time with you. And get paid for it_, what in the heck is wrong with you, dude?!" Hoagie bellowed into his cell phone, voice an angry half-whisper.

There was a soft chuckling on the other side of the line. "It was a simple little white lie."

"Little isn't the right word, man," Numbuh Two replied, a scowl etching onto his attractive features. "You know that Kuki believes just about everything it is told to her!" He was yelling so much that he was starting to wheeze a little.

"Exactly," Ace replied calmly. "It's all part of the plan."

Hoagie ground his teeth. "And I'm not helping anymore. I don't like to see my friends hurt."

"Yes, that was an interesting punch your friend Abby threw."

"Don't talk about her," Hoagie snapped, pulling back the sheets of his cockpit of a bed. "And you know what I mean, dude. Did you _see_ Kuki's face?"

"Like I said," Ace repeated, his accent quilting every word. "It's _all_ part of my plan."

* * *

**A/N:** It is quite short compared to its predecessor but, none of the less, I did enjoy writing it. And it is up a heck of a lot faster too.

If you are confused, it basically goes like this: Ace lied to Kuki about the dynamics of the bet, Wally swallowed his tongue and Abby tried to kill him like she threatened and Hoagie is a confused follower in all of this.

All will be revealed about the devious plan of Ace in later chapters, along with a lovely flashback from poor Kook's point of view.

I kind of want to punch Ace at the moment.

Wally is the hardest character to write. Honestly, he is. I swear I fail at him.

Ja ne!

-Lullaby :)

* * *

KND © Mr. Warburton  
"Invincible" Lyrics © Crossfade  
"If I Were A Boy" Lyrics © Beyonce


End file.
